Serving the High Plains

County's coronavirus cases decline slightly

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Quay County last week decreased slightly last week but remained at a somewhat high level.

The number of cases last week was 14, compared to 17 the previous week.

According to the COVID Act Now website, the county’s rate of new cases stood at 181.8 cases per 100,000 people last week, the same as the previous week.

The website kept the county at “low” risk of community spread of the disease, as it did with neighboring counties except De Baca, which was at medium risk.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Quay County since the pandemic began in spring 2020 rose to 2,528 by Friday, reported the New Mexico Department of Health.

The new cases last week were reported in the Tucumcari, Logan and San Jon ZIP codes.

The breakdown of total COVID-19 cases by ZIP code in Quay County through Friday was 1,923 in Tucumcari, 368 in Logan, 117 in San Jon, 46 in House, 30 in McAlister, 21 in Nara Visa and 20 in Bard since the pandemic began almost three years ago.

No confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Quay County were reported last week, keeping the death toll at 70 since the pandemic began.

Case rates in New Mexico continued to decline slowly.

A total of 217 new cases of coronavirus were reported Friday in New Mexico. That raised the total since the pandemic began to more than 662,000.

New Mexico’s seven-day daily case rate slightly decreased to 225 by Friday. The rate was 238 the previous week.

A total of 82 people were hospitalized in New Mexico with the disease Friday, a decline of three from the previous week.

Twelve COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state Friday. The pandemic’s overall toll rose to 8,891.

In the Amarillo metro region, the total number of active cases declined. The sum Friday decreased to 1,577, compared to 1,692 a week ago.

The disease has killed 1,319 people in the Amarillo metro since the pandemic began.

In the U.S., about 101 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed since the pandemic began, with more than 1.11 million deaths, through Saturday.

The New Mexico Department of Health’s vaccination helpline is available at 855-600-3453, option 3, or by going to vaccinenm.org.

The DOH recommends COVID-19 drugs for those who have contracted the disease in its early stages and are at risk for serious illness. These drugs are effective at preventing hospitalization and death but must be taken within days of the first symptom.

More information on finding these treatments can be found at FindATreatmentNM.com.